ONE SHOVEL / such a big hole
YEARS OF JOY AND LITTLE COST-
On a bright summer day about 35 years ago I got my shovel and started digging a large hole in my back yard. My plan was to make a fish pond but I had no idea how to do, so I just dug. Once the hole was big enough I got hold of a friend who ran a pool business, I asked if he had any old pool liners and he said come on over I just happen to have one.
I folded the liner to a double thickness, put it into the hole and added water. From that point I began landscaping the edges with rocks. Most of the rocks were ones I had found along the highway and thrown into the back of my pickup. So far I had no money invested in my project.
I was excited to add fish, but new I had to let the pond set for weeks. In the mean time I purchased some aquatic plants and set them in place. When I finally added fish I bought them from a local bait store. I came home with about five pounds of gold fish for an investment of five dollars.
During the first year the pool liner stood out as unnatural, but in time a layer of algae covered it and the pond began to look real. Since then I have learned that the right balance of plants keeps the water clean so I have no need to run a filtration system. In fact, other than cleaning plant debris in the spring I am amazed how little work is involved.
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WINTER-
I took this photo the other day. It shows my pond in its dormant stage. Every Fall I let the aquatic plants die back into the pond. I leave them because they help to protect the fish when the pond freezes over. In a week or two I will spend a day cleaning debris and making the pond ready for Spring. All of the aquatic plants are perennials so with warm weather they will begin growing again.
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WARM WEATHER MONTHS-
By late Spring this is what the pond will look like. I grow Water Iris, Water Lilies and Pickerel Rush.
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POND LIFE-
One of my favorite things to do is sit by the pond and watch my fish swimming under the lilies. I have to admit, building my pond is one of the best moves I have ever made, it gives me so much pleasure to being around it.
Great title, it made me click. Pond fish watching, relaxing
Thanks @gringalicious, it will soon be warm and the pond will be blooming. I will be sitting beside it with my coffee and maybe chomping on one of those recipes you are famous for.
I hope you find just the right one
Gorgeous. We had a pond at our old house. The rainwater from the gutters fed into it. No filtration system, just water lilies. It was home to a lot of newts, so any cleaning of debris or excessive plants involved leaving the 'rubbish' at the side so the newts could slide back into the pond.
I am always amazed at how much wildlife is attracted to the pond; frogs appear out of no where; dragonflies; raccoons; and best of all, my grandchildren.
awesomeness!
Thanks Billy.
Your post sure shows that it doesn't have to take a big investment to make a nice garden pond. How do you keep the mosquitoes out of your pond and raccoons from eating your fish? Enjoy your pond!
I have never had mosquito problems, the fish seem to take of any larva. Raccoons are not all that frequent, but they have occasionally harvested a few fish.
I'm glad your fish are controlling the mosquito larvae! And I'm glad you haven't had too much trouble from raccoons. They can really wreak havoc on a koi pond. maybe your fish are really tough -- not just on mosquitoes, lol! ; )
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Thank you for the story and the beautiful images. @beginningtoend
You are welcome.